There are a number of different utensils available that allow a user to cut into a food item so as to divide the food item into smaller-sized portions, and wherein each portion has a similar or nearly-identical size and shape. Most commonly, a paring or a highly-sharpened, general purpose kitchen knife is used to core into and cut food items, for example various fruits and vegetables such as an apple or an onion. Inherent with the use of such a utensil is that the user can be severely injured if the knife and/or the food item were to slip. As well, there is the inconvenience that the user must manipulate the knife and/or food item through several steps while coring into and cutting the food item in order to complete the division of the food item into the smaller portions. As well, if the food item is cored throughout, and it is desired that the portions be arranged in a configuration representative of the food item in a pre-cut state, it is typically necessary to re-handle the cut portions. Furthermore, if a user employs a knife as the coring and cutting utensil, it is difficult to assure that all of the cut portions of the food item are of nearly equal size and shape. Lastly, often the food item itself may be damaged during the coring and/or slicing steps, for example due to excess pressure being applied by the user when trying to firmly grasp the food item.
As an alternative to the use of a hand held knife, it may be advantageous to provide an apparatus for coring into and cutting a food item whereby a desired food item could be cored into and cut into a plurality of sections of nearly-equal size and shape, and wherein the apparatus requires a user to perform few procedural steps. As well, it would be desirable to provide for an apparatus for coring into and cutting a food item that could accomplish both operational tasks as part of single overall, procedural step. Such an apparatus would offer a considerable time and safety advantage to a user thereof, as the food item would be subjected to lesser handling.
It would be further advantageous to provide, in conjunction with an apparatus for coring into and cutting a food item, a means for securing the food item while the user cores into and cuts the food item. Provision of such means would assist in preventing the food item from becoming damaged, for example by being squashed, due to the exertion of excessive and/or uneven pressure upon the food item during the cutting process. Such means would also function as a convenient platform the subsequent serving to a consumer or consumers thereof of the food item that has been so cored into and cut by the user.
Thus, there is a need to provide for an apparatus for coring into and cutting food items that addresses at least some these shortcomings.